How to Choose a Wi-Fi Router

Internet is the core of every homestead in this era. Internet serves us a great deal both in economic and social aspects. The quality of internet in your home should be ideal for proper functioning. Ideally, a Wi-Fi router should be replaced every two years too stay updated and to keep up with current advances. Also, due to the more connections of gadgets with time, the stress on the router gets too much such that it becomes outdated thus the need for a new router. Features that should be considered when choosing a Wi-Fi router include:

Space determines the Wi-Fi route you will need. A smaller house space or an apartment will cost you less and the router will be smaller in size. The opposite applies for a bigger house and outer coverage.

How you use your Wi-Fi also determines the kind of router you will need. For heavy users like gaming and live streaming of movies online, a tri-band router will be required. A dual band Wi-Fi router fits those light internet users especially those who only use it for social media and Google search.

Wi-Fi standards differ in routers. 802.11AC standard has triple speed processing and is faster and updated to current state. MU-MIMO is a next generation AC, actually an improvement of the former router standard and it has an improved gadget interaction compared to the 802.11AC.

Wi-Fi routers can have the feature of range extenders. Range extenders serve to improve a Wi-Fi connection, eliminate dead spots that occur during your internet connection experience and also to broaden network coverage within the compound.

Routers also enable power line networking systems that use electrical wiring to simultaneously transmit both data and electrical power. The only problem with this system is that it is only used within a single building.

A good Wi-Fi router should enable WPA 2 security system. This system enables password set ups to be specific to the user. Though routers come with default passwords, the user should be able to change and personalize their passwords so that internet is limited to the owner.

Router speed is the most important feature to consider when purchasing one. Technology advances has led to the production of high performance gadgets that demand high speed routers. Router speed ranges from 450mbps to 1700mbps. When choosing the right speed for your router, you should consider the number of users and the specific activities of those users. MU-MIMO is high-speed thus recommended for gamers and Netflix addicts.

Network management apps are enabled in some routers and are connected to your mobile such that you are able to remotely check your internet settings. This is what most parents consider while choosing a router for their homes because they can control and restrict what their kids can see from their phones. Another advantage is that you can monitor the home security cameras from your office. The speeds of your router can also be monitored from these apps.